Since December, Trump has repeatedly "joked" on social media about Canada being the 51st US state and Trudeau being a "Governor".

The whole thing is pretty stupid, but Trump is so chaotic that chances of bad things happening are feeling somewhat above zero.

There's a good summary here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada%E2%80%93United_States_r...

At least one Canadian business magnate (Kevin O'Leary) has tried to position himself in on the deal and visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago to talk details.

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/kevin-oleary-donald-t...

If this is true and Canada has not arrested O’Leary then they’ve already shown how weak they are to naked sedition and it’s only a matter of time before something terrible happens.

As far as I'm aware we have no laws about going and making a moron out of yourself advocating for giving the country away. Nor do I particularly think we need any, morons can be morons, the rest of us can ignore them (and I say this as someone strongly against the idea of joining the states).

Naked sedition would be promoting an actual invasion, not just floating the idea of Canada joining as the 51st state voluntarily and figuring out the logistics of how that could happen (which as far as I can tell is all this is).

We don't have an equivalent of the American Logan Act that would make this illegal.

I don't think there's any need to arrest anyone as a show of strength. I don't feel the threat of an actual American invasion and I like living in a free society that doesn't go around arresting people for political show. Most of us are offended by Kevin being a self appointed negotiator on behalf of Canada but it's not like government is bound by anything he says so if he wants to talk in private with Trump as a private citizen so be it.

Canadians do not want this and most don't even find it funny.

Trump

I feel like a single word should explain it, but I know HN abhors single word responses. Trump has threatened tariffs and has mentioned annexing Canada. He's also mentioned buying Greenland, trading Puerto Rico for Greenland, and a bunch of other notions.

Taking back the Panama Canal comes to mind.

It seems to me that he really wants to do some empire building, but hasn't figured out a way that people would actually accept (and isn't interested in the modern version of treaty based "empires").

In fairness, the US paid for the Panama Canal and have continued to sustain it despite no "ownership".

Panama is only relevant because of the US investment in the Canal and they claim ownership when it suits them and then cry poverty every time investments need to be made.

Panama is currently playing with fire by courting foreign interest that doesn't align with the US, who are effectively their paymasters.

It's not a sudden "empire-building" move by the US. The fact that the canal exists at all has always been because of the US Empire. Panama is playing a dangerous game of FA&FO.

You can replace Panama with Ukraine, or Taiwan. The double standard is getting out of control. Respect for Trump for laying it as it is without all the BS.

To me, the canal thing is the only thing he's mentioned that is possible. There's a stipulation that does allow for that, just like there's a stipulation that the crown can do away with parliament in the UK. Doesn't mean it's an unlikely provision to be invoked without a lot of negative baggage to the point they are not likely to happen.

Trump is just throwing out every threat he can. There's simply no realistic way to unilaterally take Canada, or the canal, or Greenland.

Greenland actually makes a lot of sense. I think if every citizen there was offered $5million they’d vote yes. And it’s entirely reasonable from the USA perspective as it’s not that much overall for the US.

Probably wouldn’t make a state but treat like Puerto Rico where they continue to self govern and citizens can freely move to the USA as they’d have USA passports.

For USA very strategic naval passages and mineral extraction.

It’s not that crazy really and I think there’s a deal that’s mutually beneficial where everyone wins and is better off long term.

Normal people would try to negotiate trade relations. Megalomaniacs would decide to just take something even if they try to soften the taking with money.

The USA bought stolen land from those that stole it. People often forget about that fact.

100% of land in the history of humanity has been either bought or stolen. What exactly is your point?

> I think if every citizen there was offered $5million they’d vote yes. And it’s entirely reasonable from the USA perspective as it’s not that much overall for the US.

That's almost $300 billion dollars?

A pittance

Is it, though?

More than made up for in 'savings' from killing off Medicare. But realistically, you don't really need to balance a budget sheet when you can just print more of that principle currency on demand.

On top of the suspected tax cuts to boot

China buying the US actually makes a lot of sense. I think if every citizen there was offered $5million they’d vote yes.

They could try for form an offer but I simply don't think they have the money to do it.

US should take the areas below the 47 degree Lat N. The rest can remain Canada. And please Keep Quebec too.

Or maybe Canada should pull a Russia and sell the Northwest Territories and Yukon. That would generate a lot of interest and money.